Hooray! I made it to my one year lock anniversary. And it has been a beautiful, simple journey. Typically, my life is full of anxiety and indecision, regret, fear and fretting. But this decision to lock my hair has been completely different. Now, I won't lie. There have been a few times where I thought, "Do men still find me attractive with the locks?" "Does the guy I am currently dating want to touch my hair?" "Do my co-workers and bosses think that my hair is appropriate?" But overall, I am pleased with my hair. There isn't a lot of fretting that I do about it. And that is nice. Really nice.
Today on facebook, a male friend posted the question, "do women recognize the negative impact our hair has on men?" I didn't respond because I didn't understand the question. He had recently watched the Chris Rock movie, "Good Hair" and had concluded from the film and his friends that men in general are often frustrated with women because of our obsessiveness with hair. I can see his point. I mean, we sistahs can be pretty single minded when it comes to our hair. I have a male friend who I would work out with when I lived in Texas and he would always say to me, you aren't like other sistahs, they won't work out when they get their hair done. Of course, I have done that before, but I am at a point in my life where I recognize that there are more important things in life that a fly hair style.
During this one year journey, I have realized that we women put much more emphasis on our hair and our outer appearance than any man. I think men may be drawn to flawless hair, makeup, nails, and a slammin body, but I think they love an open heart, a voice that speaks life, hands that share and arms that comfort. Locks, fros, relaxers, weaves, MAC, MUFE, Nars, Iman, nails, tips, brazilians: could never stand up to those things. So, I am thankful for that lesson. Now, I still want to be physically attractive, I just want to be equally attractive in other ways, the ways that matter most. So in 2011, I desire to be what I want in a partner, I want to ensure that my heart is open, that I communicate with love, I want to be honest and true, faithful and kind. And I pray that as I continue to develop those traits that the love I desire will be expressed fully and completely which will in turn enhance my physical beauty.
Mother/Father God, thank you for the gift of life, beauty, intelligence and love. Thank you for a new year to express your glory through my life. I affirm that 2011 brings greater love, deeper connection and clearer intentions to my life and to the lives of those I love. Thank you Mother/Father God, And so it is.
